Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the nomination by the Labour Party of Maíria Cahill as its candidate in the Seanad by-election. I have already made known my views on her suitability in that regard. She would be a great asset to the Seanad. I welcome also the Fianna Fáil announcement that it, too, will be nominating a candidate, which is very good for democracy.

This Saturday is Positive Mental Health Day. In many places this week has been Positive Mental Health Week, in respect of which a number of events have been organised around the country. In my own town of Dundalk, events such as a walk, coffee mornings, art exhibitions and cookery classes have been used to promote what people can do to ensure positive mental health.

I welcome the launch last Friday at Farmleigh of the comprehensive employment strategy for people with disabilities, the introduction of which I have worked on consistently for some time. The strategy seeks to address difficulties experienced by people with disabilities when it comes to accessing and maintaining employment. While I welcome publication of the strategy, for which we have been campaigning for the past year, it is important it is acted on now and implemented swiftly so as to ensure that people with disabilities, who can and want to gain paid meaningful employment, can do so with the supports that are necessary. I also wish to mention the fact that Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is once again in the news as a result of having 41 patients - the highest number in the country - on trolleys. The news that broke in the past week alone in respect of what has happened at that hospital really needs to be addressed. I call on the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, to come before the House to address the issues that arise, including those relating to data protection and the fact that medical notes were found strewn across the road in Drogheda last year, and the unannounced HIQA inspection in respect of the danger of legionnaires' disease.